Western 02
9:23:52 PM Chance: So! You sleep uneventfully through the night, and awaken the next morning to the sounds of the rails. You know that today, you'll reach Pittsburgh, where you're aware there will be a stopover while the train unloads and reloads cargo and passengers. 9:28:39 PM *** Joe is quite happy about this. And she does, after a bit of reflection, take the form of a man. He's got plenty of clothes options for both, and not much preference. He can generally get away with explaining that he's his own brother, since he looks quite similar to his female version. *** 9:35:57 PM *** Joe is taller, a little denser, has a five o'clock shadow, longish hair in a studiously untidy ponytail and somehow seems slightly rumpled a lot of the time, leading to a very rakish appearance. *** 10:05:44 PM Chance: You find Cas in the dining car for breakfast! 10:08:02 PM Joe: Good morning! As you can see, I did indeed decide to... change. 10:16:10 PM Chance: Cas does a doubletake. "Josie?" 10:17:31 PM Joe: I think Joseph might be a bit more appropriate at the moment, but yes, it's me. Mind if I join you? I'm disgracefully hungry. If you say no I may cut off my fingers and eat those. 10:22:09 PM Chance: Cas: Of course, of course. Joseph, please, join me. 10:23:05 PM Joe: Excellent. 10:23:17 PM *** Joe sits and pours himself a cup of coffee. *** 10:23:33 PM Joe: Are we really British anymore if we’re both taking coffee? 10:30:23 PM Chance: Cas: As long as we're horribly repressed and stuffy. 10:32:21 PM Joe: I try not to let myself get too repressed. Nothing good comes of it. 10:35:17 PM *** Joe sips his coffee gratefully. *** 10:36:13 PM Chance: Cas eyes you. "Can I ask a quest or two?" 10:36:58 PM Joe: Please do, it'll be terribly dull if we both read newspapers or something. 11:11:17 PM Chance: Cas: ... you said you left London because you found it stifling? 11:12:12 PM Joe: Abominably. 11:12:50 PM Joe: The magical societies are the very worst. Also I was bored. 11:18:20 PM Chance: Cas: .... are you a woman, just acting as a man for now? 11:19:21 PM Joe: If you're asking what I really am, I'm mostly demon, I suppose. 11:21:10 PM Chance: Cas: What does that mean? 11:22:05 PM Joe: A lot of them don't have the same ideas about bodies as humans. They're not... fixed. 11:22:37 PM Joe: I'm not pretending to be man right now, I'm just a man right now. I wasn't pretending to be a woman yesterday, I was just a woman then. 11:24:56 PM Chance: Cas: Hmmmm. 11:25:59 PM Joe: My mother's a demon. But he's usually a man on expeditions, it's just simpler. 11:29:58 PM Chance: Cas: .... I shan't ask any questions for now, as every question draws us closer to a very complicated discussion of identity, personhood, and gender, and it is too early for that. So! Cheers to you. 11:31:58 PM Joe: That is true. I don't mind it, though it's usually easier to just pass myself off as my own brother or sister. 11:35:33 PM Chance: CAs: That makes sense. 11:36:15 PM Joe: I did bring an absurd amount of clothes. 11:36:42 PM Chance: Cas: Yes, yes, you would have to, wouldn't you? Well, you make a very dashing fellow, I must say. 11:38:45 PM Joe: So do you! Though I suppose I had better stop flirting, people might not take that quite as well now. Even America probably has its limits. 11:39:10 PM *** Joe makes a face and pours himself another cup of coffee. *** 11:39:28 PM Joe: Do you think we'll see buffalo? 11:49:58 PM Chance: CAs: That would be nice. I've heard some hunt them. For some reason. 11:51:09 PM Joe: They might taste good, I suppose? I think they're related to cattle. 11:51:47 PM Chance: Cas: But to hunt them? That hardly seems... necessary. 11:52:11 PM Joe: Well, if you were hungry it might be. 11:56:32 PM Joe: I absolutely adore fox hunting, actually. It's shocking how long you can fool hounds into chasing an old rag if you've got magic to back it up. 11:57:56 PM Chance: Cas makes a bit of a face. "Never been a fan of it myself." 11:58:18 PM Joe: Someone has to make sure the fox gets away. 11:58:36 PM Joe: And there's usually someone who really deserves to fall off his horse, too. 11:58:55 PM Chance: Cas: That's not exactly fox hunting though, isn't it? 11:59:02 PM Chance: He asks, with a grin. 11:59:32 PM Joe: Well, they're fox hunting. Since I don't find that amusing I must needs make my own amusement. 12:05:00 AM Chance: Cas: I suppose that's true. 12:05:58 AM Joe: I suppose I'm soft about animals in general. 12:06:23 AM Chance: Cas: Same, really. 12:08:51 AM Joe: Well, we shall certainly make a bit of trouble if anyone wants to hunt more than one buffalo. I think one could feed the whole train. 12:19:18 AM Chance: Cas: Are they that big? 12:20:41 AM Joe: I believe so. If you want to be cautious I suppose we could stop them after two. 12:25:30 AM Chance: Cas: One is fine, mustn't be greedy. 12:26:13 AM Joe: I shall certainly do my worst after one, then. You are exacerbating my wickedest tendencies. Do go on. 8:25:35 PM Chance: So! You arrive in Pittsburgh. 8:26:13 PM *** Joe will be staying on the train to head further west! He rather hopes Cas is as well. *** 8:27:43 PM Chance: Well, the train has a stop over to unload and resupply. 8:29:02 PM *** Joe will then de-train and find a place to stay. Probably will ask if Cas has plans and stick with him unless he objects. Brit boys got to stick together. *** 8:36:06 PM Chance: Cas recommends a restaurant to go get some lunch. 8:38:28 PM *** Joe will definitely go and do that with him, unless he's got something else he needs to do. Then he'll go alone. *** 8:41:38 PM Chance: Nope! He's happy for the company. The train will be leaving that evening ,so you have some time to wile away. 8:42:22 PM *** Joe suggests finding a bookstore, as they do still have a long trip ahead! *** 8:44:40 PM Chance: You can find several, really! 8:46:52 PM *** Joe heads for one. He'll drag Cas with him if he doesn't object. Joseph tends to overwhelm other people with his enthusiasms. *** 8:52:48 PM Chance: He follows along! "What are we looking for? Anything in particular?" 8:53:55 PM Joe: Anything interesting! Penny dreadfuls, magic textbooks, smut, travelogues. 8:54:15 PM Chance: Cas colors a bit. "Smut?" 8:54:51 PM Joe: Oh dear, you are proper, aren't you? I can see I'm going to be a very bad influence. 8:56:56 PM Joe: There’s nothing wrong with a bit of good old-fashioned smut. 8:58:18 PM Chance: Cas: I suppose not. Sorry, just.... a reflex, I guess. 8:59:50 PM Joe: We shall skip it. Clearly I am only half-civilized. 9:00:44 PM Joe: I blame a very unsettled upbringing. 9:15:46 PM Chance: He chuckles. "Ohh, don't let me stop you." 9:17:22 PM Joe: I will do my best not to embarrass you in any way! 9:22:29 PM Chance: Cas: I demand that you do. 9:23:36 PM Joe: Hah. Be careful what you wish for. 9:30:35 PM Chance: You find a little bookshop! Seems to have a good selection. There's an older fellow behind a counter who watches you enter, a bell on the door ringing. 9:31:56 PM *** Joe takes a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the books, and smiles as he heads toward the shelves to look. *** 9:32:42 PM Chance: Older fellow: Can I help you young men find anything? 9:34:02 PM Joe: I am about to spend an exceedingly long time on a train and I absolutely require reading material. Penny dreadfuls, magic textbooks, travelogues, and anything about demons. 9:40:43 PM Chance: Older fellow: I don't have much as far as magic books go, I do have the penny dreadfuls and travelogues, though. 9:43:22 PM Joe: Where? 9:44:02 PM Chance: He points out the shelves in question. "If you want magical books, go on down to MacCree's on fifth." 9:44:15 PM Joe: Marvelous! Thank you. 9:45:22 PM *** Joe picks out a bagful of books, and also buys anything Cas seems remotely interested in. *** 9:47:23 PM Chance: Awww. He accepts it graciously, but doesn't seem to lack for money on his own, so he vows to pay for lunch. 9:47:48 PM *** Joe does not object! He does hit MacCree's next. *** 9:58:04 PM *** Joe does not look for smut. *** 10:04:24 PM Chance: There isn't any anyway! 10:04:38 PM *** Joe doesn't look for it at MacCree's either! *** 10:34:32 PM Chance: Anyway, you eventually go down to the other shop, a smaller, darker shop run by a lovely woman with antlers. 10:34:50 PM *** Joe smiles winningly at her. *** 10:36:18 PM Joe: I'm looking for books about demons, please. ... and anything new and unusual about magic. 10:44:22 PM Joe: You know, anything... groundbreaking. 10:45:47 PM Chance: She looks up, and pushes the glasses up her nose. "... demons, eh? Those'll be over there. As far as groundbreaking, there's a new work on the power derived consuming hearts, if that's what you mean?" 10:46:27 PM Joe: Hmm, I'd pass on that. I prefer to steal and consume hearts the old-fashioned way. 10:46:44 PM Chance: She raises an eyebrow. 10:48:14 PM Joe: Usually I ask if I can call on them at home first. What about more studious, academic work? DeSpense, Kamarov, that kind of thing? 10:52:15 PM Chance: She thinks. "There's a new work on the creation of golems that seems to be rather popular," She says, pulling a tome from under the counter and setting it down. 10:52:45 PM *** Joe inspects it. *** 10:54:10 PM Joe: Sometimes I bring flowers. 10:54:49 PM Chance: It is indeed a technically scholarly work! Written by a Kabbalist named Moray. She seems to know her stuff. 10:56:06 PM Joe: That is extremely interesting--I'll take a copy of that. Any other recommendations? 10:58:08 PM Chance: She thinks. "NOthing noteworthy -- it sounds like you're already extremely well-read." 10:58:38 PM *** Joe laughs. *** 10:59:13 PM Joe: I wish I could make that claim, but alas, I am a hopeless dilettante, and the shame of my scholarly father. 11:00:32 PM Joe: Still, must keep trying. 11:00:50 PM *** Joe wanders over and sifts through the books on demons, hoping to find a. one that is very very hilarious wrong, and b. one that is near to being right. *** 11:04:05 PM Chance: There aren't a lot of books on the subject here, actually! YOu would guess the proprietress is fae-blooded. 11:04:49 PM *** Joe had thought so given the antlers. Still, if he can find one, he will get that, and then, why not, grabs a couple books on fae, too. *** 11:05:39 PM Chance: He can find a few books on demons, but nothing you haven't seen. 100 level stuff. 11:07:02 PM *** Joe was looking for exactly that, actually! He means to give it to Casper by way of apologies for any irregularities with his vague attempts at passing for human (or mostly human). *** 11:08:47 PM *** Joe also browses a bit and may grab a couple of other books if they look interesting. *** 11:09:21 PM Chance: There is, however, a lot more stuff on Fae! 11:10:16 PM *** Joe returns to the antlered woman. *** 11:10:30 PM Joe: Which of the books on Fae is most accurate, would you say? 11:13:03 PM Chance: Woman: Trevannon's Compendium is probably the best generalized text. Arl the Otter's Faerie Enchantments is a good overview on Fae magic. 11:13:29 PM *** Joe picks them both up. *** 11:18:00 PM *** Joe pays for it and departs with Cas. He does pause outside the door for a moment to cast a spell--conjuring a big bunch of real hothouse flowers onto the front desk of the shop. *** 11:18:58 PM Chance: The woman eyes the flowers. "Usually I don't really like demon magic in my shop -- but I can make an exception." 11:20:22 PM Joe: I mean only to thank you for your excellent recommendations--they will help a great deal on a very long journey. 11:20:42 PM *** Joe nods to her very solemnly and respectfully, and heads out with Casper. *** 11:21:43 PM Chance: Cas helps you carry books! Some of them are huge. 11:22:27 PM Joe: ... sorry, I do tend to get carried away. The sad thing is, I'll still be done with all of them before we reach any sort of destination. 11:24:52 PM Joe: Let's drop these off with the rest of the luggage and then get a bite, hm? 11:30:13 PM Chance: Cas: Sounds great, as I am starving thanks to lugging these things around. 11:31:40 PM *** Joe is carrying most of it! Seems reasonably strong, at least. *** 11:36:59 PM Joe: She was pretty, I thought. 11:39:30 PM Chance: Cas: Who? The bookshop owner? 11:40:57 PM Joe: Yes. The antlers were quite distinctive--I assume she was part Fae. 11:44:07 PM Chance: Cas: Oh, yes, she was very pretty. 11:44:24 PM Chance: Cas: ... animal parts usually means fae, right? 11:44:43 PM Joe: Usually. 11:45:37 PM Joe: ... so if she isn't your type and I'm not your type either... redheads? 11:46:57 PM Chance: Cas looks at you across the table. "... there's more to people besides hair color, you know." 11:51:23 PM Joe: Clearly! The girl at the shop seemed clever and studious. 11:55:41 PM Chance: Cas: ... I like blokes, Josie... Jo. Not exactly looked on kindly back home. 11:56:03 PM Joe: Oh. 11:56:25 PM Joe: ... I forgot that was even an option for humans. 11:56:39 PM Chance: Cas nods. 11:57:33 PM Joe: ... that'll make tall and athletic quite a bit easier to find, then. 11:58:03 PM Chance: Cas: You'd think, wouldn't you? 12:00:08 AM Joe: I've found it to be so. But then, I'm usually a woman at the time. Damn. ... how do you even tell who might be interested? People usually get terribly upset if you flirt with people the same sex as you. I've been in fist fights over that. 12:09:59 AM Joe: ... should I stop flirting with you, then? 12:37:45 AM | Edited 12:37:50 AM Chance: Cas: I would be offended if you did. 12:38:27 AM Joe: Oh, good. I do enjoy it. I just don't... fit terribly well into your category system. 12:39:41 AM Chance: Cas: I suppose you have a whole other series of categories to go right over our heads so... 12:40:27 AM Joe: They sort a lot by clan, family and loyalties, as I understand it. Mother doesn't bother much with that either. 12:45:13 AM Chance: Cas: Have you been there? Hell? 12:47:48 AM Joe: I haven't. I don't think I'd fit in much better there--I might be far too demon for here, but I'm quite a bit too human for there. 12:48:37 AM Chance: Cas: Oof. 12:50:43 AM Joe: I still have high hopes of America. 12:51:36 AM Chance: Cas: Well. Let's hope that we can both find a place, yeah? 12:52:54 AM Joe: Do you mind if we stick together? I don't have any specific plans on where to go. 12:55:52 AM Chance: Cas grins. "People like us must stick together, what?" 12:55:57 AM Chance: Cas: You know, brits. 12:56:32 AM *** Joe beams. *** 12:57:11 AM Joe: We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. 12:58:05 AM Chance: Cas: Who are sometimes sisters. 12:59:33 AM Joe: Yes! Exactly. 9:12:06 PM Chance: So you were at dinner with Cas, chit-chatting a bit. 9:12:28 PM *** Joe was! *** 9:12:39 PM *** Joe really likes his new friend. *** 9:41:38 PM Chance: So, that evening, you return to the train in time for it to leave, with your new books. 9:42:49 PM *** Joe does! He imagines a nice long train ride talking to interesting people and reading interesting books. *** 11:22:35 PM Chance: So! You're on the train, headin' down the rails with. It's late now, Cas has retired to his own cabin for the night. 11:23:55 PM *** Joe reads a bit, and then starts to head to his own little cabin. *** 11:26:28 PM Chance: You're in your cabin! It's... ten pm? The train is pretty quiet, most folks are asleep now. 11:26:57 PM *** Joe gets ready for bed, and reads a bit. *** 11:27:17 PM Chance: Gimme a roll. 11:27:29 PM Joe: ((7!)) 11:29:04 PM Chance: You sense magic around you -- some kind of divination. You think that you're possibly being scryed upon. NOt you in particular, it's not focused around you, but kind of all over the train car. 11:30:17 PM *** Joe tries not to let on that he's noticed, and sets down his book to "go to sleep." Turns the lights out, closes his eyes and tries to feel out where the magic is coming from and what its intent is, or at least what kind of magic it is. *** 11:32:28 PM Chance: Gimme another roll, then. 11:32:41 PM Joe: ((1. Dammit.)) 11:34:39 PM Chance: The spell is very well crafted -- you think it was specifically made to throw off any cursory scans. 11:36:49 PM *** Joe stays quiet and tries to keep pretending to sleep, while also listening hard for anomalies. *** 11:39:48 PM Chance: YOu hear nothing! 11:40:00 PM Chance: Give me another roll. 11:42:45 PM Joe: ((6!)) 11:43:19 PM *** Joe is so glad after all that he isn't with somebody because it means he is wearing pants. Pants are very helpful in times of trouble. *** 11:43:34 PM Chance: You feel another spell settle over the train! A very strong sleep spell. It doesn't do much more than making you feel a bit drowsy. 11:45:38 PM *** Joe tries to stay awake while looking asleep. He's pretty determined now to find whoever it is and possibly break a chair over their head. *** 11:46:44 PM Chance: You lay there! And lay there. And lay there. Eventually you think you hear the faint sounds of someone in the train car. 11:47:32 PM Joe: ((Outside his room or inside?)) 11:47:44 PM Chance: Oh, outside, down the hall. 11:48:30 PM *** Joe slips out of bed and tries to very quietly open the door a sliver to see what's going on! *** 11:56:36 PM Chance: You look down and see three dark clad people with masks conferring amongst themselves, pointing at the doors lining the hall as they speak. 11:59:01 PM *** Joe closes his eyes and tries to put them to sleep with magic! He is an incubus after all. *** 11:59:28 PM Chance: Gimme a roll! 11:59:48 PM Joe: ((5! Bleh.)) 12:01:25 AM Chance: You're not able to get enough of a hold, because as you do this, you realize they're vampires. But! They still haven't noticed you. 12:02:04 AM *** Joe closes the door and tries to remember where Casper is. *** 12:04:07 AM Chance: He is in the next car. 12:05:27 AM *** Joe uses his telepathy to try to reach him! *** 12:06:25 AM Chance: You can do so easily, but gimme a roll. 12:06:54 AM Joe: ((10!)) 12:09:37 AM Chance: First off, Cas is in a dreamless sleep, that seems to be part of the spell. Two, you're like, 99 percent sure he's got fae ancestry, you can sense that. 12:10:23 AM *** Joe is surprised! And tries to break the sleep spell on him. *** 12:16:40 AM Chance: Now that will require a roll. 12:17:03 AM Joe: ((3, of friggin' course.)) 12:17:25 AM Joe: ((Maybe having an affinity for sleep related stuff would help enough....)) 12:18:44 AM Chance: It's very strong, and you find that the spell is being cast by someone outside the train, and being maintained. As you try to shake it off of him, you hear a female voice say 'no-no." And you're kinda pushed out. You can give it another try if you wish. 12:19:28 AM *** Joe does. He needs an ally! ((9!)) *** 12:29:00 AM Chance: Muuuuch btter. You dive into the spell again, and now that you know that there's someone to contend you with, you surprise her and take the upperhand! You can easily cut Cas out of the net, if you want. 12:29:35 AM *** Joe does. *** 12:30:13 AM Chance: You feel what can only be described as a mental 'pout'. 12:30:13 AM *** Joe thinks at him: Casper? There are at least 3 vampires in my car of the train. They cast a sleep spell on everyone, as far as I can tell. *** 12:31:38 AM Chance: You hear CAs's brain go 'msrfsrwha." 12:33:23 AM *** Joe adds, belatedly: It's me, Joseph. I don't suppose you have a gun? Or magic? I don't know if I can take three or more vampires alone. *** 12:34:49 AM *** Joe adds, again: ... going to be jolly good fun finding out, though. *** 12:35:57 AM Chance: Cas: ... I haven't been in the states long enough to have a gun. I have a little magic, but it might serve here. 8:07:28 PM Chance: There's a train robbery! 8:09:35 PM *** Joe thinks at him: See if they're in your car as well. *** 8:11:16 PM Chance: Cas: ... they dont' seem to be. 8:19:31 PM *** Joe answers: I'm going to try to surprise them. I might be able to put one to sleep, not sure. But if you like, please come and give me a hand. Three is a lot and I've never had to fight a vampire before. *** 8:20:41 PM *** Joe grabs a sabre from his luggage, slips out of his room and tries to get as close to the vampires before they notice as possible! Once they notice he'll try to put one to sleep and attack the others. *** 8:21:34 PM Chance: Cas: All right, be careful. 8:21:47 PM *** Joe thinks: I would never! *** 8:26:07 PM Chance: Okay! Gimme a sneaking roll. 8:26:22 PM Joe: ((9!)) 8:28:19 PM Chance: So as you move quietly out into the hall. You see one of them has moved down the hall, past your room, and is standing at the other end of the hall, by the door to the next car. The other two are moving down the car, cabin by cabin. 8:28:50 PM *** Joe goes for the group of two! He's going to try to sleep one and stab the other one. *** 8:29:30 PM Chance: There's a tall stocky woman, and a short and wiry man. 8:29:51 PM *** Joe tries to sleep the lady and stab the guy. *** 8:30:17 PM Chance: Oh, and the woman has a shotgun, the man has a pistol. 8:30:37 PM *** Joe still goes with sleeping her and stabbing him! *** 8:43:33 PM Chance: Gimme a roll for sleeping. 8:44:04 PM Joe: ((4. Damn.)) 8:45:41 PM Chance: That is enough --these vampires are not very strong minded, it seems. At least not compared to you. 8:46:13 PM *** Joe tries to stab the guy! Or cut his head off if it looks possible enough. *** 8:51:31 PM Chance: Not really, you'd be better off trying to stun or down him before beheading. Gimme a roll! 8:52:05 PM Joe: ((2. Oh dear.)) 9:04:07 PM Chance: He dodges, with preternatural speed! He was a bit alerted by his larger companion falling to the floor. He hasn't called out yet -- what to you want to do before he tries to raise a ruckus? 9:04:40 PM *** Joe tries to sleep him, too! *** 9:04:48 PM Joe: ((8!)) 9:08:41 PM Chance: That works real well, and he ends up on the floor. 9:09:14 PM Chance: You're currently in an empty stateroom, by the way -- they were searching this room when you jumped them. 9:12:51 PM *** Joe exits for a moment to try to deal with the third one! *** 9:32:41 PM Chance: He's walking this way! 9:33:32 PM *** Joe tries to sleep him too, that seems to be working better for him! *** 9:38:06 PM Joe: ((6!)) 9:42:03 PM Chance: that works! He falls over -- you're not sure how long they'll stay out! What do you? 9:44:04 PM *** Joe cannot quite bring himself to murder them while they sleep. *** 9:44:55 PM Joe: ((Do vampires fly?)) 9:45:36 PM Chance: ((Some of them can. Usually the more powerful vampires can... these don't really seem that strong.)) 9:45:55 PM *** Joe tosses them off the train, in that case. *** 9:58:36 PM Chance: The door they came in is unlocked. 9:58:42 PM Chance: Which one do you drag first? 9:59:07 PM *** Joe drags the woman. He could also just open up a window and throw them out it, whichever is easier. *** 9:59:34 PM Chance: The door, by far. 9:59:47 PM *** Joe goes with the door! *** 10:04:03 PM Chance: Gimme a roll! 10:04:25 PM Joe: ((9!)) 10:08:22 PM Chance: You open the door, and toss the woman out! And you pull back into the cabin just in time to avoid a massive set of jaws that snaps at you! 10:08:49 PM *** Joe dodges back and slashes with his sword! *** 10:23:18 PM Chance: Your swords bounces off the shape before it darts back into the darkness. It felt like metal! 10:25:32 PM Chance: I assume you duck back into the train car? 10:25:43 PM *** Joe does. *** 10:26:00 PM *** Joe finds Casper's mind and warns him there's some sort of a toothy metal monster here! *** 10:28:28 PM Chance: Cas: ...what. 10:28:44 PM *** Joe thinks: I have no idea! I'm going to try to fight it, though. *** 10:28:59 PM *** Joe dodges back into the hallway, sword at the ready! *** 10:33:13 PM Chance: You don't see anything! But the vampires are coming around. 10:34:04 PM *** Joe re-sleeps them before they can, and grabs another one to throw them out the window! *** 10:34:55 PM Chance: Gimme another roll. 10:35:13 PM Joe: ((7!)) 10:35:53 PM Chance: You knock them both out again! 10:36:13 PM *** Joe grabs one and drags them into the room to toss them off the train. *** 10:53:29 PM Chance: Well you're dragging one from the room, out into the hall, to toss them through the door. 10:55:04 PM *** Joe does that, then! *** 10:59:35 PM *** Joe is tired of these motherfucking vampires on this motherfucking train! *** 11:09:55 PM Chance: Gimme another roll! 11:10:13 PM Joe: ((3. Oh dear.)) 11:11:28 PM Chance: So you're tossing the smaller vampire out, and as you do... the jaws come down and snap onto him, snatching him away and out of sight! 11:11:54 PM *** Joe blinks. *** 11:12:14 PM *** Joe relays this to Casper. "It must be an ally." *** 11:12:27 PM Chance: Th last vampire at the other end of the car wakes up! 11:12:30 PM *** Joe "Of the vampires, I mean. I suppose I'm going to have to kill the last one instead." *** 11:12:33 PM *** Joe sleeps him again. *** 11:14:13 PM Chance: Gimme a roll! 11:15:03 PM Joe: ((2. Shit.)) 11:17:57 PM Chance: He does not go to sleep again, but pulls out a gun and takes a shot at you! You get winged, but he's still a little fuzzy! 11:18:15 PM *** Joe charges him and tries to cut off his head. *** 11:24:03 PM Chance: OOooooh, okay! Roll again. 11:24:33 PM Joe: ((9!)) 11:29:30 PM Chance: ooooooh. Yeah, you slice his head off! He doesn't turn to dust. He just turns into a headless corpse that's maybe been dead a week. 11:30:06 PM *** Joe tells Cas: I've killed one of them. *** 11:30:11 PM *** Joe tries to figure out if there are more! *** 11:32:14 PM Chance: Not in this car! 11:32:24 PM Chance: Cas: ... I haven't seen any others. 11:32:37 PM *** Joe : You haven't? All right. Where are you? Are you coming? *** 11:33:34 PM Chance: Cas: I'm one car down from you, but the door was locked. I don't want to damage it if I didn't have to. 11:34:17 PM *** Joe : Oh, I see! Well, perhaps you should go down the rest of the train to see if there are more of them in that direction. I'll go in my direction and let you know. I do hope there are more, I'm feeling rather heroic. *** 11:34:36 PM Chance: Cas: I certainly am not. 11:35:45 PM *** Joe : It's probably just the adrenalin! Let me know what you see. *** 11:35:59 PM *** Joe heads out of the car, warily looking for more vampiric robbers! *** 11:45:20 PM Chance: You don't see any in the next car! Everyone is asleep in here, though, too. 11:46:23 PM *** Joe doesn't wake them up. They could get hurt. *** 11:46:29 PM *** Joe passes to the next car. *** 9:59:21 PM Chance: So! You were looking for more vampire bandits. You went one way, and Cas went the other on the train. 10:01:20 PM *** Joe does! *** 10:09:17 PM Chance: You move through the next car! Again, everyone asleep, but you do hear something up ahead from one of the cabins. 10:10:09 PM *** Joe stays quiet and looks! *** 10:16:01 PM *** Joe sneak sneak sneaks. *** 10:16:55 PM Chance: You find a girl! Well, young woman. She's kind of huddled up and softly sobbing out of view, but you can spot her. 10:17:41 PM *** Joe makes sure the room is secure before he steps in. "Miss?" *** 10:21:07 PM Chance: She looks up. "I'm not here!" 10:21:18 PM Chance: She half-whispers, but not too quietly. 10:22:17 PM Joe: What did you see, miss? 10:26:44 PM Chance: She looks up! She has dark hair, pale skin, and an incredibly beautiful face. "Monsters!" 10:27:19 PM Joe: What kind? 10:27:24 PM *** Joe checks her mind to see if she's one of Them. *** 10:27:31 PM Chance: Roll! 10:28:01 PM Joe: ((2. Oh god, I'm gonna die.)) 10:30:35 PM Chance: You realize a moment too late that while you heard sobbing, her face is perfect -- no tears, no red eyes. As she feels your mind, you realize two things -- she's the one maintaining the sleep spell, for one. 10:33:17 PM Chance: And two, you realize, as she suddenly smiles in a somewhat silly fashion, that she's a much more powerful vampire than the others. She grabs your mind. "Sorry, I fibbed. I'm the monster! You're so pretty. What's your name? It's okay. You can tell me. You love me." And she's right! 10:35:02 PM Joe: Joseph. Why are you robbing a train? Wouldn't people just give you whatever you want? 10:36:17 PM Chance: She giggles, and stands up, dusting off. She's wearing a flowy, diaphounous dress that fits her willowy body perfectly. "I can't tell you that." She smiles lopsidedly. "I'm gonna take some blood, you look reallll tasty." 10:36:35 PM Joe: Oh, feel free. 10:37:20 PM Chance: You're already starting to strain against her spell, too. She is powerful, but she got you good mostly because of surprise. She leans in and wraps her arms around you, and you feel her fangs pierce your neck! 10:38:43 PM *** Joe doesn't object to this... but tries to use the opportunity to drain a little of her energy. *** 10:39:09 PM Chance: Ooooh, okay. Gimme a roll! 10:39:38 PM Joe: ((9!)) 10:41:27 PM Chance: You draw some of her energy out-- more than enough to free you from the charm. 10:41:42 PM Chance: She's still drinking your blood! She seems thoroughly intent on that. 10:42:05 PM *** Joe chokes up on his sword and then tries to stab her with it. *** 10:45:25 PM Chance: You do so! You stab her and she pulls away, surprised and looking down, your blood still on her lips. She looks down.... there's not a lot of blood, but a few drops start staining her dress. 10:45:34 PM *** Joe tries to cut her head off! *** 10:45:50 PM Chance: SHe looks at the wound, than up at you... and bursts into tears. 10:45:59 PM Chance: Bloody tears, but still. 10:46:48 PM *** Joe actually doesn't, then. *** 10:47:03 PM Joe: ... dammit. Why are you robbing the train, anyway? 10:47:13 PM Joe: Why shouldn't I just chop your head off. 10:47:32 PM Joe: ... and don't you have a handkerchief? 10:49:14 PM Chance: She starts using her sleeves, which makes her dress even bloodier, which makes her cry more. "Hankerchiefs are disgusting." She looks up at you. "I don't know why. he just said to rob the train and look for a box." 10:49:27 PM Joe: He who? 10:49:43 PM *** Joe sighs, and hands her a handkerchief. *** 10:50:12 PM Joe: Look, if you'll just stop the sleep spell, I won't cut off your head. 10:51:34 PM Chance: She has a very strong accent -- Eastern European of some variety. "Master told me to. And he'll be real mad if I drop it. Told me to keep it up." 10:52:14 PM Joe: ... look, I actually don't want to cut off your head, madame. 10:52:31 PM Chance: "... Sofia." 10:52:38 PM Joe: Miss Sofia, then. 10:52:55 PM Joe: How about this. You let me cast a little spell on you and then you won't have to worry about it. 10:53:07 PM Joe: What sort of box were you looking for? 10:53:22 PM Chance: Sofia shrugs, sniffling. 10:54:04 PM Chance: Sofia: Wooden. Locked. Looks like it's big enough to hold a head. 10:54:42 PM Joe: Lord, I hope there's not a head in it. All right, now, don't resist the spell and everything will be all right. 10:54:45 PM *** Joe sleeps her. Hard. *** 10:56:57 PM Chance: Gimme a roll! 10:57:13 PM Joe: ((4!)) 11:02:19 PM Chance: You put her to sleep! She falls over. But the sleep spell maintains it.. it's tied to her blood. IT will maintain until she's dead or willingly drops it. 11:02:53 PM *** Joe swears, and goes to look for the box. *** 10:21:32 PM Chance: Heeeeere. 10:21:57 PM Joe: ((yessss.)) 10:24:55 PM Chance: You just dealt with Sofia! 10:27:12 PM *** Joe goes to look for the box she described! *** 10:33:04 PM Chance: So do you move on to the next car? 10:37:55 PM *** Joe will search that car for the box first, and also the previous car. *** 10:42:53 PM Chance: You don't find it in either of those! You do find a bunch of sleeping people in various states of undress in their sleeping cabins. 10:44:08 PM *** Joe then proceeds to the next car, watching for vampires and looking for that box! *** 10:50:46 PM Chance: You peek through the door, and see at least two vampires in here. 10:51:39 PM *** Joe tries to sleep these ones as well! *** 10:56:49 PM Chance: You see one out in the hall, talking in hushed tones to one who is searching one of the rooms, out of view at the moment. 11:02:37 PM *** Joe listens, first, then! *** 11:06:35 PM Chance: At the moment, one is yelling at the other for talking overly quietly even though everyone on the train is in a coma-like sleep and it's unneccesary, and the other one is saying how he doesn't want to break the spell by being loud and incur the Master's wrath. 11:08:16 PM *** Joe tries to sleep them both! *** 11:09:37 PM Chance: GImme a roll! 11:10:29 PM Joe: ((2. Dammit!)) 11:11:07 PM Chance: THe one in the hall, the louder one, falls over -- the second one you don't have line of sight on, and vamps have slippery minds, so you're not able to get him. 11:11:34 PM *** Joe runs after him with his sword out! *** 11:20:25 PM Chance: You go down the hall! You don't know if he's noticed his friend is down yet, you'd still out of sight, in one of the rooms. 11:21:32 PM *** Joe hurries! *** 11:25:48 PM Chance: Gimme a roll! 11:26:31 PM Joe: ((10. You're right, there is nothing in between. )) 11:27:26 PM Chance: Yeah, you run down the hallway, and spin around the corner into the door, using the momentum to lop his head right off! 11:31:31 PM Chance: It's really very impressive, but no one saw. 11:33:34 PM Joe: ... damn. 11:33:44 PM *** Joe checks to see how much he's bleeding from getting winged by a bullet earlier. *** 11:36:10 PM Chance: Mostly a flesh wound! You're all right. 11:36:54 PM *** Joe searches this car for the box! *** 11:40:26 PM Chance: GImme a roll! 11:40:48 PM Joe: ((10 AGAIN, I shit you not!)) 11:43:20 PM Chance: You find a wooden box. Not in the compartment of the dead vampire, but one down, a sleeper cabin where an older lady snores away in bed. 11:45:26 PM *** Joe opens it. *** 11:47:54 PM *** Joe has zero self-preservation instincts, by the way, if you hadn't noticed. *** 11:50:39 PM Chance: It's a head. 11:50:46 PM Chance: Well, a skull. 11:51:09 PM Chance: Old skull, with gold fillagree and a ruby in one eye, emerald in the other. 11:52:59 PM Joe: Intriguing! 11:53:18 PM Chance: Skull: ... I say. What year is it? 11:54:41 PM Joe: ((Good question! What year is it?)) 11:59:53 PM Chance: ((1898.)) 12:00:14 AM Chance: ((I think. Maybe 88.)) 12:01:58 AM Joe: 1898. 12:04:28 AM Chance: Skull: .... oh, only a year. Not too long. How do you do? I am Francisco. 12:05:14 AM Joe: Quite well, actually. I'm Joseph. Why are you a skull in a box, and why would a bunch of vampires be after you? 12:06:04 AM Chance: Skull: Well. It would be rude for me to take up a whole seat when I can travel as luggage! 12:06:19 AM Chance: SKull: As for your second question.. Whillickers, that's a pickle. 12:06:37 AM Joe: ... but you can't see out that way. 12:06:40 AM Chance: Skull: It's probably the Montesi Formula they're after. 12:06:48 AM Joe: What's that? 12:34:09 AM Chance: Francisco: Oh, it's a spell! Let's a vampire turn anyone or anything they want into a vampire, even those that normally can't be a vampire. LIke a werewolf, or a mostly demonic being like yourself. 12:39:22 AM Joe: That sounds like a terrible idea. 12:39:39 AM Chance: Francisco: Oh, yes, almost assuredly. 12:40:37 AM Joe: And you know the spell? 12:40:48 AM Joe: Not to be impertinent, but you know I'm mostly demon--what are you? 12:43:26 AM Chance: Francisco: I am a spellbook, I suppose! Golly, that's a good way to put it. 12:44:28 AM Joe: ... but you're a person. 12:45:05 AM Chance: Francisco: Oh, that's awful nice for you to say. I suppose I'm both! People can be two things, right? 12:45:23 AM Joe: That's true, but you must be terribly vulnerable to abuse. 12:45:38 AM Chance: Francisco: I can take care of myself. 12:46:05 AM Joe: Oh, good. 12:46:23 AM Joe: Perhaps you'll have a suggestion, as I've a bit of a problem right now. 12:47:29 AM Joe: A rather pretty girl is asleep a few train cars down. She's a vampire, and she says her master sent her here to find you. I don't think she had much of a choice. Is there any way I can... er... separate her from her master without killing him? You see, she's enspelling everyone on the train to fall asleep. 12:48:36 AM Chance: Francisco: Oh, heavens no, I can't cast the spells that are stored on me. I can just activate defensive measures. Which are potent, but rather circumstantial. 12:52:05 AM Joe: Bother. Do you have any ideas on what I might do? I don't believe her master is here for me to heroically slay. 12:53:33 AM Chance: Francisco: Well, I could provide you with a few useful spells -- you can cast, obviously, otherwise I wouldn't have woken up! 12:57:10 AM Joe: Oh yes. Do you have anything that would break her connection with her master? Or break her sleeping spell at least. I would quite like to rescue her. 1:00:18 AM Chance: Francisco thinks. "I have Ogumel's Fifth Accord of Sundering," he says after a moment. 1:00:51 AM Joe: Would that work? I should hate to hurt her. 1:02:06 AM Chance: Francisco: If it's a powerful enchantment bound to her, harming her is a possibility. 1:02:48 AM Joe: Damnit. What about something that would allow me to find and reach her master quickly? 1:05:34 AM Chance: Francisco: Golly.... I have Erenduil's Auspicious Divination. 1:07:53 AM Joe: What's the cost? 1:09:41 AM Chance: Francisco: Hmmm. I suppose you don't really have a day and an hour to spend in meditation, do you? Hold on, hold on.... 1:10:28 AM Joe: I'm afraid not. If they've gotten the conductor the train could derail at any moment. I rather think Caspar is already dealing with that, though. 7:47:39 PM Chance: Heeeeeere. 7:48:34 PM Joe: ((Caspar's heading toward the engine, right, and I'm heading toward the caboose?)) 7:50:35 PM | Edited 7:50:40 PM Chance: That was the plan! 7:52:07 PM Joe: Do you have any divination magic that's a bit faster than that? 8:01:17 PM Chance: Francisco: Gosh... most divinations are slower, ritualized castings. I do have Otto Freebold's Alacritous Auspicion. That one only requires a little blood but will give you the answers to three questions. 8:03:06 PM Joe: Hmm. I've already lost a bit of blood tonight, but all right, how do I cast it? 8:03:29 PM Chance: Francisco: I'd be delighted to show you how to do it! 8:04:24 PM Chance: He walks you through the ritual symbols you need to draw on the nearby table, and the casting. You put three drops of blood in the circle and it flares to life! 8:07:01 PM *** Joe gives it a try, and then asks: "Where is Sofia's Master?" *** 8:08:11 PM Chance: The rops of your blood seem to replicate, enough to spell out an answer in the circle on the table. "Pittsburgh." 8:08:27 PM Joe: Damn. 8:08:39 PM Joe: How can I break his ties to her without harming her? 8:12:12 PM Chance: "Destroy Master." 8:13:12 PM Joe: How can I break his ties to her without destroying him or leaving this train? 8:22:08 PM Chance: "Kill her." With the that, the blood turns to dust, and the ritual circle disappears. 8:22:21 PM Joe: That wasn't very helpful at all. 8:22:32 PM Joe: I suppose I didn't ask the right questions. 8:22:41 PM Chance: Francisco: Whillickers, I'm sorry. 8:22:59 PM Chance: He's a skull, but you can tell, somehow, he's frowning. 8:23:01 PM Joe: Not your fault, obviously. I just asked the wrong questions. 8:24:42 PM Joe: And I'm on a moving train, so I can't just go back to Pittsburgh. ... unless I make a magic circle... 8:25:51 PM Joe: Do you know any quick teleportation spells? 8:29:37 PM Chance: Francisco: I'm afraid not! That kind of magic you tend not to get without forfeiting at least one fifth of your soul. I do know some good astral projection spells, but that's the best I can do. 8:30:03 PM Joe: Bother. 8:30:11 PM Joe: Well, I'm at a loss. Let's go look for more vampires. 8:30:34 PM Chance: Francisco: Please don't throw me at them. 8:31:21 PM Joe: That would be terribly churlish. I just need a way to bring you with me that still allows you to see out. 8:56:53 PM Chance: Oh, I don't really need to see, per se. 8:57:28 PM Joe: Yes, but I certainly wouldn't feel right stuffing you into a bag. 9:03:34 PM Chance: Francisco: That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. 9:05:29 PM Joe: That's rather sad, isn't it? I hope we'll be friends, though. 9:10:47 PM Chance: Francisco: I thought we were! Rather presumtuous of me. 9:11:03 PM Joe: Oh no, that's quite how I feel as well. Good! 9:11:10 PM Joe: Now, let's see here. 9:11:28 PM *** Joe grabs a sheet from the poor sleeping lady's bed and makes a sort of sling for the skull. *** 9:12:00 PM Chance: You make a skull-sling! 9:13:10 PM *** Joe carries the skull on his back and keeps looking for vampires! *** 9:30:57 PM Chance: You find care after care of asleep people! No other vampires for a bit -- until you're three cars away from the caboose. 9:32:27 PM *** Joe sleeps them! Or tries. *** 9:39:18 PM | Edited 9:39:32 PM Chance: There are four of them chatting, all with guns. They haven't noticed you yet -- they seem increasingly nervous that something has gone wrong and are apparently debating cutting their losses and leaving. 9:40:34 PM *** Joe just sleeps one of them, then. As hard as he can! *** 10:03:16 PM Chance: Gimme a roll! 10:05:12 PM Chance: You get one! The other three look around, weapons at the ready. 10:06:19 PM *** Joe says: Cut your losses and run away. *** 10:07:27 PM Chance: Two of them look nervous! The third one smiles, though, and grabs a sleeping train attendant, putting a gun to his temple. 10:08:11 PM *** Joe tries to sleep that one next. *** 10:14:02 PM Chance: GImme a roll on that one. 10:14:50 PM Joe: ((... 10.)) 10:15:19 PM Chance: He and his hostage fall over in a heap. 10:16:08 PM Joe: Cut your losses and run away. 10:17:46 PM Chance: The other two look at each other, and open the door to leave! at this part of the train, you have to outside to get between cars. So the first vampire who heads through the door cries out and is snatched into the night. 10:19:13 PM *** Joe steps out and chops the head off of the vampire who tried to take a hostage. *** 10:24:36 PM Chance: That's easy enough! The last one turns on you and fires his shotgun at you. 10:24:40 PM Chance: "No!" 10:24:51 PM *** Joe tries to jump out of the way. *** 10:28:36 PM Chance: Gimme a roll. 10:29:59 PM Joe: ((5!)) 11:02:34 PM Chance: Your suit gets a bit shredded by the shot! The damage to you is mostly fleshy wounds, but it really smarts. 11:02:50 PM Joe: Oh, that tears it. 11:02:54 PM *** Joe tries to kill him with the sword! *** 11:03:28 PM Chance: You're also bleeding a bit. 11:03:39 PM *** Joe was bleeding before! *** 11:12:51 PM *** Joe goes after the bastard! *** 11:13:41 PM Chance: You are bleeding more now! Gimme a roll! 11:13:53 PM Joe: ((9!)) 11:26:06 PM Chance: YEah, you take him down in good order. 11:26:16 PM Chance: Francisco: Jolly good! 11:31:13 PM Joe: ((How does Joe feel? Is he getting faint from the blood loss or anything?)) 11:37:50 PM Chance: You're pretty lightheaded at this point. 11:40:52 PM *** Joe sits down and tries to improvise some bandages. *** 11:41:24 PM Joe: I wonder how Caspar's getting along. ... and if he knows any healing magic. Demonic magic's rather short on that. 12:01:25 AM *** Joe tries to reach Cas's mind, but he might well be out of range. *** 12:05:15 AM Chance: He's not! Not since you already touched his brain before. 12:05:37 AM *** Joe thinks at him: What's going on up there? *** 12:09:11 AM Chance: Cas: Not much, really. Only ran into one vampire. It's the strangest thing though -- the men running the train are sleepwalking, and still running it. so.... looks like we won't be crashing or anything anytime soon. 12:10:45 AM *** Joe thinks back: Excellent. I think you're going to need to break the door open to get back here, though, if you can't find a key. *** 12:24:47 AM *** Joe adds: I'll pay for it if they kick up a fuss, but could you come back here, please? *** 12:27:02 AM Chance: CAs: Already on my way. 12:28:16 AM *** Joe thinks: Ah, excellent. I shall just wait here. *** 12:28:33 AM *** Joe sits down. ***